Reference

Definitions & glossary

The playbook's own definitions — what counts as a “startup”, what DPIIT recognition means, and every abbreviation used across the schemes.

A C D E F G I P S T

AIF (Alternative Investment Fund): SEBI-registered private investment fund that pools capital from investors and deploys into startups/companies.
Credit Guarantee: A government-backed promise to repay a lender if the borrower (startup) defaults. Enables startups to access loans without pledging collateral.
Convertible Debt: A loan that can convert into equity at a later stage. Used when valuation is uncertain at the time of investment.
CGPDTM: Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks.
DPIIT-Recognised Startup: A startup officially recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) as per notified eligibility criteria.
Equity Investment: Capital provided in exchange for ownership stake (shares) in the startup. The investor becomes a part-owner.
EMD (Earnest Money Deposit): A security deposit required in government tenders. DPIIT-recognised startups are exempt from EMD on GeM.
Fund of Funds (FoF): A fund that invests in other venture funds (AIFs) rather than directly in startups. Startups receive funding when their venture fund makes an investment.
Grant: Non-repayable financial assistance provided by the government. The startup does not repay the money and does not give equity.
Incubator / Accelerator: Organisations that support startups at early stages (incubator) or fast-track growth of already-validated startups (accelerator).
Proof of Concept (PoC): Early demonstration that an idea or technology works, typically in a lab or controlled setting. Pre-prototype stage.
SEBI: Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Startup-Specific: In this Playbook: schemes where startups are the primary or sole named eligible beneficiary in the scheme’s eligibility criteria.
Startup-Relevant: In this Playbook: schemes with broader eligibility (MSMEs, companies, institutions) that startups commonly access and benefit from.
TRL (Technology Readiness Level): A 1–9 scale measuring how mature a technology is. TRL-1 = basic research; TRL-9 = fully commercial system.
TBI (Technology Business Incubator): An institution providing physical space, mentoring, seed funding and networks to early-stage technology startups.